Behind the Unusual Deed: Gothel's Heart
by KindHeartedWriter
Summary: This fanfic is based off of my Tangled for a Flower fanfic. This does not follow the movie, but I hope you enjoy. For those who have read my Tangled for a Flower fanfic, we look at Gothel's life the years before she kidnaps Rapunzel and the months after she has had Azalea. M.GothelxOC
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This fanfic is based off of my _Tangled for a Flower_ fanfic. This does not follow the movie, but I hope you enjoy this glance into Gothel's life. I will include some quotes in this fanfic (some will show up in the middle of the fanfic like so:

**"Hi, how are you? I'm glad you're reading my story :)." -KindHeartedWriter, Spur of the Moment**

Here's number one at the bottom:

* * *

Chapter One

She looked up at mirror, looking for wrinkles. Her best friend, Willow Fennel was sitting down on one of her two dining chairs. Willow watched her with almond colored eyes. "Angel, why do you keep checking for wrinkles? Don't deny it, I know you are."

She scowled, and made wrinkles at the corner of her mouth. "You know why, Willow." She had always loved Willow's name. Willow was a flower, and meant mourning, but Willow Fennel was opposite of her name. She couldn't imagine why her mother would name Willow such a morbid name, but Willow never minded.

"People get old. It's natural." Willow exclaimed, pushing her long red velvet hair back. She stared around Angelinda's clean home. "You shouldn't fret. You still clean like your mother did." Willow's eyes fogged. "I remember when she used to make us clean our shoes before we put them back on. You used to hate it so much!"

Angelinda laughed at the memory, and the horrid wrinkles vanished. "She was only trying to help. Clean women are beautiful."

"I'm not clean."

"You're the only exception." Angelinda smiled at her friend.

"Ready to go?" Willow stood up, pulling down her light blue gown. Angelina looked down at her pale pink dress and tightened the laces. She turned back to the mirror and Willow groaned. "We'll be here another hour if you keep looking at yourself. You look fine!"

Angelinda looked at Willow for a moment, and stood up straight in the body length mirror. Her gown was long, and stopped above her ankles. Her curly hair was pulled back into an uncharacteristic braid, and her deep gray eyes with flecks of brown were bright. Willow was right; she might as well go.

"It's the first Kingdom Patrol ever. We should be early, not late!" Willow reprimanded her. They walked to the Square, pushing past couples and tiny families. The Square was still under construction, and Angelinda wanted to see one knight in particular.

The large crowd was loud, and it took several minutes for the King's musicians to get them quiet. The King was dressed in a deep purple robe with lighter purple patterns up and down the sleeves. A gold crown perched on his head made Angelinda's eyes water as the sun gleamed on it brightly.

A tiny family draped in deep purple robes walked into the middle of the Square, looking a little intimidated to be by the King. The woman held up a baby and announced, "The future Leader of the Knights: Alec Ruffins!"

The crowd cheered, and Angelinda saw the knight she was looking for: Alec's older brother. He was young, not yet seventeen –as was she- and looking blindingly handsome in shining white armor.

The young King held up a tiny baby girl and announced in a loud voice. "I give you Princess Leah Amelia Duname and her sister Stephanie!"

A young girl beside the King smiled when the crowd cheered her name. "Stephanie! Leah! Stephanie! Leah! Stephanie!"

Stephanie honey blonde hair and her deep gray eyes were bright with excitement. She shook in her little purple gown and held her head high.

The King, the family, and Stephanie walked to Angelinda, and she felt Willow nudge her sharply. She put on a welcoming smile and was dumbfounded when the royal crowd stood on both sides of her and Willow. She caught Willow's eyes and saw them widen.

"Onward!" The King yelled, startling Angelinda. The knights on the horses surged forward. Angelinda caught Alex's eye as he followed the knights, and her skin turned red.

They stayed in the Square until the knights came back. Willow and Angelinda remembered to nod at the royal crowd beside them, and then they struggled to get to the vendors.

Willow sank down on a bench. "They stood right next to us!"

Angelinda was still seeing Alex Ruffin's eyes. "Stephanie is going to be a great queen."

Willow nodded. "She's the oldest, so she must be in line first." Willow stood up, shaking. "Want anything?"

"A roll of bread." Angelinda handed Willow a gold coin. Willow walked off to the vendors, and Angelinda rubbed sweat from her forehead.

Someone sat down next to her and she looked up to see warm brown eyes. She was too stunned to speak.

Alex Ruffin smiled at her. "Hi, Angelinda, is it?"

Angelinda nodded. "Angelinda Gothel."

"Can I call you Linda?"

Angelinda shrugged, and her mind was flooding with warmth. She had liked Alex Ruffins since she had first seen him working in the Stables. He had been tending to a foal named Maximus, and she was feeding the horses extra apples and had bumped into him.

"Linda is fine," she looked at the soft hair framing Alex's tan face. She wiped her hands nonchalantly on her dress.

"Nervous?" Alex was very perceptive.

"The King was right next to me," Angelinda said quickly, hoping he wouldn't pick up on her feelings for him.

Alex grabbed her chin gently and tilted her face to his. His brown eyes were playful. "Don't be afraid of me. I'll see you later?"

Angelinda barely had time to nod before he was gone. Willow sat down, her eyes narrowed. "Was that Alex?"

Wordlessly, Angelinda nodded. Willow handed her a warm roll of bread, and Angelinda could hardly taste it.

Alex Ruffins was bold, playful, and a mystery. She wanted to know more about him.

**"Love's the sweetest feeling. Openly believing." -Various Artists, Fire in the Water**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

She absently poured a cup of tea, rubbing her eyes. Willow banged on the door. "Angelinda Gothel, if you don't open up-"

She quickly went to the door and opened it. Willow was standing there, grinning. "Morning."

"I thought you were about to kick the door down." Angelinda exclaimed.

Willow sombered. "Why would I do that? Your mother would kill me if that happened a third time."

Angelinda sleepily smiled. "She would."

Willow helped herself to a cup. "And then she'd pat me on the back and say not to do it again."

"She wasn't too mad the first time."

Willow nodded seriously. "But the second time, she was about to hit me with a shoe."

"Lesson learned, eh?"

Willow smiled, and then looked at her. "What's eating you?"

"I'm not sleeping too good."

"Why?" Willow looked confused, then she grinned. "Is it because of a certain Ruffins?"

"No." Angelinda said. "I just can't sleep anymore."

"How long has this been going on?"

"A few months."

Willow frowned. "Go ask Mother Pasley about it then."

"She's Alex's mother."

"And he's out training today. It's not like you won't run into him."

"It's not that bad," Angelinda got up to put her cup on the counter. "I just trip more often and-" The cup fell off the counter and broke. "And things break occasionally."

Willow found her broom by the door and started sweeping. "She might have an herb that could help you. Passion. . . Something passion."

"And how would you know, Willow?"

Willow blushed. "You know my dream about starting a Tavern?"

"Yes."

"Well, I have to know my plants." Willow looked at the floor. "I could make the whiskey taste better, or bitter, if I wanted to get back at someone."

Angelinda started laughing. "Willow, why?"

Willow grimaced. "I just don't like my neighbors sometimes. Don't worry, it wouldn't kill them immediately." She fixed Willow with a look. "All right, fine. I'll mail it to them."

Angelinda's stomach started to hurt with laughing. "You are ridiculous."

Willow tugged Angelinda out of the door. "Come on, let's-" Alexander Ruffins was walking toward Angelinda's house, and Angelinda felt panicked. Willow cursed. "Oh, holy hell. He's. . . Come on." Willow pulled Angelinda to the Square. Angelinda peeked over her shoulder to see Alexander still behind them.

"He's following us." She bit her lip.

"I know. Um," she turned to the vendor in front of them. "How much for the Passionflower?"

"Two gold coins." The vendor answered.

Willow huffed. "That's not much. Here." She exchanged the gold coins for the fabric bag. She grabbed Angelinda's limp hand and made her sit down on a bench.

"Breathe it." Willow ordered.

Angelinda was snapped out of her stupor. "Excuse me?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Just one breath."

"That might kill me."

Willow paused.

"It _might_. But come on, at least you know for sure Alex will come." Willow weighed the positive and negative outcomes. "But if you do die, then I won't be able to say 'hi' to any godchildren you might have. But if you don't die, then I can't break down your front doors-"

"Fine, fine!" Angelinda started laughing again. Then she froze. "Wait, why?"

"So you'll sleep better." Willow sat down with her, scanning the crowds for Alex.

"But it's noon!" Angelinda protested.

"Naps are good for you."

Angelinda sighed. "All right. Fine."

She sniffed the bag, and coughed. "Why does it smell like that?"

Willow rolled her eyes. "It's not going to smell like flowers."

"No, that's the thing. It does."

"Really?" Willow beamed.

"Mh-hmm." Angelinda looked around and rubbed her eyes. She started laughing. "Everyone became a fish."

Willow tugged Angelinda to her feet. "Time to sleep."

"Why?" Angelinda whined.

"Good Lord, I made a monster." Willow joked on the way to Angelinda's house. She looked at Angelinda. "I have to go work at the Tavern; I'm late, so can you go in by yourself?"

Angelinda smiled at Willow. "Sure." She hiccupped.

Willow looked at Angelinda. She turned the doorknob so the door would open. "Bye!"

"Bye, Will!" Angelinda waved.

Then she sank against the wall and put her hands in her head when Willow left. She could crawl in, no problem. Her legs felt like jelly.

"Look what I caught!" Alex's voice made her jump. She stared up to see him looming over her. He grabbed her hand and helped her to her feet. "An Angel Fish."

Angelinda blushed. "Oh, ha-ha."

"I thought it was clever." Alex smiled at her. She gazed at him, her eyes roaming his jawline and hair. He was handsome. Too handsome.

"Why are you taking Passionflower?" Alex asked when she invited him inside. She didn't feel steady enough to handle a boiling kettle so they sipped water.

"I can't sleep." She looked down.

"Dreaming of me?"

_Yes!_ "No."

"You're blushing."

"Don't be coy," Angelinda pouted.

"M'kay. Sorry darling." Alex apologized.

It was very quiet.

"You busy tonight?" he asked her.

_Am I_? She thought to her nightshift in the Palace.

"They'd understand," Angelinda said. "No, I'm not busy."

"Palace work?"

"Are you stalking me?" Angelinda scowled at him, not meaning it. He was too handsome.

"No, I just like to know the whereabouts of the prettiest girl in the world." Alex smiled. "Can you go to the Tavern at dusk?"

"Yes," Angelinda couldn't swallow.

Alex ruffled her curly hair on his way out.

"See you then."

She closed the door behind him.

When Willow finally came to her house right before sunset, Angelinda was laying on the bed.

"You all right?" Willow asked as she watched Angelinda flutter about the room.

"No! No! No!" Then she paused. "No, wait! _Yes!_ I am so all right, I know my right better than my left."

"You're so funny," Willow was laughing.

"Alex asked me to go to the Tavern."

Willow fainted.

Angelinda envied her when she started shaking Willow awake.

Why couldn't she faint too?

_You see what you do to me?_ Angelinda accused Alex. _I'm not even at the Tavern and I can't slow my heart down._

**"You cast a spell on me. . .You hit me like the sky fell on me." -The Wanted, Glad You Came**


End file.
